Nuclear energy is a process involving the merging or splitting of atoms, so that they release energy.
Nuclear energy was once seen as a cheap and abundant energy source. Concerns regarding safety, radioactive waste, and increasing costs, eventually saw its popularity decline.
Nuclear Energy Resurgence
With the pressure mounting to hit a reduction in carbon emissions, countries are now increasingly aware that they need energy stability, all which can be afforded with nuclear energy sources.
A single kilogram of uranium is capable of producing 20,000 times as much energy as a single kilogram of coal. Therefore, the same scientific principles that underpinned atomic bombs could now have the potential to provide electricity for homes across the country.
Technology giants such as Microsoft are also pushing for new and innovative projects where they can inject new technology and AI capabilities. Nuclear power has seen heavy investment within these sectors.
Countries across the globe are now reversing or reconsidering their decisions on nuclear power, with France, China, and South Korea all planning to build or recommission nuclear reactors. The US has pledged to triple its nuclear energy producing capabilities by 2050. An additional 31 countries followed suit with the same pledge, including the UK, France, and Japan.
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration
Within the UK, collaborations have been formed between the UK Atomic Energy Authority and other authorities, which will see the roll out of new, state-of-the-art technology, that can be used to accelerate the deployment of robotics and AI in fusion engineering and nuclear decommissioning, involving specialists such as RAICo at https://raico.org/. This will allow for the remote and therefore safe handling of operations and maintenance within nuclear power plants.
Nuclear energy is a zero or low carbon emitting power source. With the new and innovative technology available, it is now widely believed that the world should harness its capabilities in order to help combat the growing effects of climate change.